Watering the Mushroom Casing Layer by Capillarity

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Abstract
In growing houses and small controlled-environment chambers, plots watered by capillarity produced a greater total weight of heavier sporophores than plots watered by hand. The difference in yield can be accounted for by a higher water content of the sporophores. The number of sporophores produced was unaffected by the method of watering except in one experiment in which fewer were produced on plots watered by capillarity. On trays 6 sq. ft. in area, watered by capillarity, the total weight and number of sporophores and average weight per sporophore were not significantly affected by using two, three or four wicks of nylon or viscose felt. Yield was not affected when the ratio of sphagnum peat to chalk (ranging from ½-in. lumps to dust) in the casing mixture was reduced from 1:1 to 1:3 by volume, but the average weight per sporophore was decreased. Capillary watering appeared to maintain the 1:1 casing mixture wetter than did hand watering.

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